History
-
Part 1: State Shinto as a civil religion – what is it?
I would like to start this first part of my series on Shinto with an apology! This post will be very heavy on the definitions. It might be a somewhat hard start to the series, but it is, unfortunately, necessary. To understand State Shinto, as is the focus of this series, we must understand civil… Continue reading
-
Part 0: Intro to my series on Shinto
I have always been fascinated by Shinto, so much so that I wrote my masters about it and its role in Japan during the years until World War II. This is the foundation for my new series on Shinto. And so I set out not only to translate the 75 pages into English but also… Continue reading
-
Review of Lesley Downer’s Women of the Pleasure Quarters
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability Lesley Downer is a journalist (and historian, though she doesn’t mention whether she is educated or a hobbyist) with an interest in all things Japan. She has written many historical novels set in Japan, some of which I intend to review! Yet, as “Women of the Pleasure Quarters” is a testament… Continue reading
-
Review of Liza Dalby’s Geisha
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability Liza Dalby is an American anthropologist, specializing in Japan and its culture. She has published several books on the topic, including historical fiction. The part of Dalby’s life we are mostly interested in for the purposes of this review is her time as a geisha apprentice. In 1975 Dalby went to… Continue reading
Socials
About
My first experience with history, must have been my own story. I was tasked with mapping my family tree in school, and I remember so clearly the excitement and interest I had. Having my mom tell me the stories of the people who had come before me, and how they had lived so very differently then I had. I couldn’t get enough.
Recent Blog
- Part 30: State Shinto After the War
- Part 29: Summary of Kokutai no Hongi and Its Significance
- Part 28: Kokutai no Hongi – Harmony
- Part 27: Kokutai no Hongi – Loyalty and Patriotism
Recent Review
- Review of William D. Johnston’s Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star
- Review of Dr. Jan Bardsley’s Maiko Masquerade
- Review of Lesley Downer’s Women of the Pleasure Quarters
- Review of Liza Dalby’s Geisha